(or help someone else run for something)
Want to really make a difference in politics and government? Don’t just march, @runforsomething.
Make sure things are done right. Be the person in charge.
https://t.co/gGCVWFnUo7
Happy New Year 🪅🎉🥳
Goodbye 2020 and good riddance.
Thank you all for sharing the journey with me. Thank you for the questions, comments, gifs. We got through 2020. 2021 will be better.
2021 will be the year to Make Democracy Cool Again.
How about a few resolutions?
(or help someone else run for something)
Want to really make a difference in politics and government? Don’t just march, @runforsomething.
Make sure things are done right. Be the person in charge.
https://t.co/gGCVWFnUo7
You can also volunteer to help Run for Something screen candidates.
Do you have a talent for organizing? If so, democracy needs you. One reason the Tea Party was successful was that they organized locally and put pressure on local officials.
Start now. It's not too early.
In some states, you can become an official volunteer voter registrar. James Williams in Maryland told how he did it in his state. https://t.co/mv1PtliBuV
How to become a volunteer voter registrar
— 5 DAYS UNTIL THE GEORGIA RUN-OFF. KEEP THE FAITH. (@JamesMWilliam18) May 31, 2019
It is actually very simple. I live in a Maryland suburb, and I called my county Board of Elections to schedule a meeting. Once that was done, I spent about two hours going over the laws, rules and regulations.
Our democratic institutions are under attack. So what should you do? Defend them.
Defend Institutions is #2 on @TimothyDSnyder's list in his book, On Tyranny.
What's an institutionalist and how do you become one? See: https://t.co/GhtIDHIs6D
They are the future. Empower them.
#8: Become a Social Engineer.
What do I mean? See: https://t.co/uEVsJwFaQ5
Support low-cost immigration services, volunteer at an organization such as @CUNYCitizenship, or at organizations that tutor English and civics for the naturalization test.
If everyone does this, lots of money will get pumped into news reporting. We need good reporters.
Here is a photo from my mental health break today ⤵️
JJ is working hard though, keeping me safe from seagulls.
We push forward. The reactionaries push backward.
If the universe is unfolding as it should, Trump awakened enough people from complacency and spurred us to treasure our democracy and take the necessary steps to preserve it.
https://t.co/F8RzeQpGaP
Also, bookmarked! What an excellent list. I will never again take our liberty for granted. \U0001f44d
— Sean \u201cQ voted Biden\u201d Resists (@RealSeanFoley) January 1, 2021
More from Teri Kanefield
This is what he wants to do.
No matter how this trial plays out, the US will remain divided between those who choose truth, Democracy, and rule of law and the millions who reject these things.
1/
The question is how to move forward.
My mantra is that there are no magic bullets and these people will always be with us.
Except for state legislatures, they have less power now than they have for a while.
2/
The only real and lasting solutions are political ones. Get Democrats into local offices. Get people who want democracy to survive to the polls at every election, at every level.
It’s a constant battle.
3/
Maybe I should tell you all about Thurgood Marshall’s life to illustrate how hard the task is and how there will be backlash after each step of progress.
4/
Precisely. That's why Thurgood Marshall's life came to mind.
We are still riding the backlash that started after the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education.
That's why I keep saying there are no easy
No matter how this trial plays out, the US will remain divided between those who choose truth, Democracy, and rule of law and the millions who reject these things.
1/
Wouldn't he just use this to repeat his Big Lie and have GOP echo him?
— Thel Marquez (@theljava) January 31, 2021
The question is how to move forward.
My mantra is that there are no magic bullets and these people will always be with us.
Except for state legislatures, they have less power now than they have for a while.
2/
The only real and lasting solutions are political ones. Get Democrats into local offices. Get people who want democracy to survive to the polls at every election, at every level.
It’s a constant battle.
3/
Maybe I should tell you all about Thurgood Marshall’s life to illustrate how hard the task is and how there will be backlash after each step of progress.
4/
Precisely. That's why Thurgood Marshall's life came to mind.
We are still riding the backlash that started after the Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education.
That's why I keep saying there are no easy
Yep. My relatives continue to support Trump and make false equivalencies as justification. I\u2019ve found it impossible to present factual information that changes minds. Trump\u2019s emotional appeal registers with them: that things were better before civil rights advances.
— Martha Brockenbrough INTO THE BLOODRED WOODS (@mbrockenbrough) January 31, 2021
It looks like 45 Republican Senators voted against holding an impeachment trial for Trump.
I hope nobody had high hopes that the GOP would do the right thing.
The GOP remains the Party of Trump and is hardening into an extremist anti-democratic
They are the anti-rule of law, anti truth party. https://t.co/e6EME39xNn
Fortunately, they're outnumbered.
Not by much, but they're outnumbered.
Hi, everyone.
A lot of these doomsday comments are annoying me.
Have you all learned nothing over the past few years?
You might want to duck because, I'm about to go on a tear . . .
The same people telling me we're doomed and democracy is dead are probably the same people who told me (1) Trump would make himself dictator (2) The Supreme Court would keep him in office and (3) he would never leave the White House.
Nobody owes you a democracy . . .
My mantra the past 4 years: democracy will survive if enough people want it to, and are willing to do the work.
Did the doomsday people happen to see that the vote was 55-45 in favor of holding a trial?
I think the problem is there has been so much peddling of hope porn. . .
I hope nobody had high hopes that the GOP would do the right thing.
The GOP remains the Party of Trump and is hardening into an extremist anti-democratic
They are the anti-rule of law, anti truth party. https://t.co/e6EME39xNn
Fortunately, they're outnumbered.
Not by much, but they're outnumbered.
They clearly aren\u2019t the party of LAW AND ORDER
— DWUK (@UKfriendlyguy) January 26, 2021
Hi, everyone.
A lot of these doomsday comments are annoying me.
Have you all learned nothing over the past few years?
You might want to duck because, I'm about to go on a tear . . .
The same people telling me we're doomed and democracy is dead are probably the same people who told me (1) Trump would make himself dictator (2) The Supreme Court would keep him in office and (3) he would never leave the White House.
Nobody owes you a democracy . . .
My mantra the past 4 years: democracy will survive if enough people want it to, and are willing to do the work.
Did the doomsday people happen to see that the vote was 55-45 in favor of holding a trial?
I think the problem is there has been so much peddling of hope porn. . .
Reading recommendation: Rand Corp, "The Russian Firehose of Falsehoods Propaganda Model," includes advice on how to counter a rapid and continuous stream of lies.
https://t.co/1Jg5CvgrJC
1/
The liar has a “shameless willingness” to tell outrageous lies that lots of people know are lies.
The liar doesn’t care about consistency.
He doesn’t care if it’s obvious he’s lying.
https://t.co/C08paJsKTT
In fact, that's the whole point.
Putin perfected the method.
2/
It seems to come naturally to Trump.
@TimothyDSnyder tells how reporters were often so astonished by Putin's outrageous lies, that they focused on the lies instead of Putin's latest atrocities.
The lies became the news.
The actual news gets pushed off the stage.
3/
The goal is the “disruption of truthful reporting and messaging.”
https://t.co/C08paJsKTT
That's why Trump really wants an actual trial, and why he was so annoyed with the Supreme Court (and other courts) refusing to hear the case.
He wants a stage for the lies.
4/
From the Rand study: The Firehose of Falsehood technique “entertains, confuses and overwhelms the audience.”
I think the "entertainment" part applies to the GOP leadership who know Trump is lying but cheer the lies because they are so destructive.
5/
https://t.co/1Jg5CvgrJC
1/
The liar has a “shameless willingness” to tell outrageous lies that lots of people know are lies.
The liar doesn’t care about consistency.
He doesn’t care if it’s obvious he’s lying.
https://t.co/C08paJsKTT
In fact, that's the whole point.
Putin perfected the method.
2/
It seems to come naturally to Trump.
@TimothyDSnyder tells how reporters were often so astonished by Putin's outrageous lies, that they focused on the lies instead of Putin's latest atrocities.
The lies became the news.
The actual news gets pushed off the stage.
3/
The goal is the “disruption of truthful reporting and messaging.”
https://t.co/C08paJsKTT
That's why Trump really wants an actual trial, and why he was so annoyed with the Supreme Court (and other courts) refusing to hear the case.
He wants a stage for the lies.
4/
From the Rand study: The Firehose of Falsehood technique “entertains, confuses and overwhelms the audience.”
I think the "entertainment" part applies to the GOP leadership who know Trump is lying but cheer the lies because they are so destructive.
5/
January 6th will be a freak show. Biden will become president because the only way to stop it would be for the House to agree, and that won't happen.
Going forward, the GOP becomes even more dangerous and radicalized.
A few hopeful points:
The GOP could very well lose control of the Senate.
Because these GOP Senators will force a vote, the GOP may fracture, with moderates forced out. While this radicalizes the party, they lose
A few reasons. As @ProfBrianKalt points out, refusing to seat them because they say the election wasn't valid gives credence to the lie that the election wasn't valid.
Moreover, there's no authority to refuse to seat an elected rep for telling lies. .
. . . which is what refusing to seat them would amount to.
The Democrats say, "You are doing really bad things so we won't seat you."
See the problem with that?
(1) It's illegal. The House doesn't get to decide who is seated. The states send their own reps.
moreover . . .
(2) If you say, "The House gets to refuse to seat a person who tells a lie about the election," where does that lead?
If things continue this direction, the political divide will not longer be liberal v. conservative.
The divide will be pro- democracy v. anti-democracy. . .
Going forward, the GOP becomes even more dangerous and radicalized.
What do you see as an outcome of this Teri?
— AnimalsIntuit (@copplestonearts) January 2, 2021
A few hopeful points:
The GOP could very well lose control of the Senate.
Because these GOP Senators will force a vote, the GOP may fracture, with moderates forced out. While this radicalizes the party, they lose
What do you see as an outcome of this Teri?
— AnimalsIntuit (@copplestonearts) January 2, 2021
A few reasons. As @ProfBrianKalt points out, refusing to seat them because they say the election wasn't valid gives credence to the lie that the election wasn't valid.
Moreover, there's no authority to refuse to seat an elected rep for telling lies. .
Why won\u2019t the Dems in Congress give some consequences? Like refusing to seat those participating in sedition?
— Teacher Sarah (@cmommy77) January 2, 2021
. . . which is what refusing to seat them would amount to.
The Democrats say, "You are doing really bad things so we won't seat you."
See the problem with that?
(1) It's illegal. The House doesn't get to decide who is seated. The states send their own reps.
moreover . . .
(2) If you say, "The House gets to refuse to seat a person who tells a lie about the election," where does that lead?
If things continue this direction, the political divide will not longer be liberal v. conservative.
The divide will be pro- democracy v. anti-democracy. . .
KM asks why the GOP leadership is terrified of losing.
(Both Lindsay Graham and Matt Gaetz said if the GOP loses this election, they'll never win again.)
GOP is a minority party. If they lose power, they lose the ability to manipulate systems to keep minority control.
1/
The fear is also explained by Richard Hofstader, who wrote the classic work⤵️
Hofstadter reviewed American politics from before the founding of the nation through McCarthyism. He noticed a pattern among an impassioned minority on the fringes of the political spectrum.
2/
He called their behavior the “paranoid style” in politics.
Those embracing the paranoid style of politics believe that unseen satanic forces are trying to destroy something larger in which they belong.
3/
According to Hofstadter, the “something larger” to which they belong is generally phrased as “the American way of life.”
They “feel dispossessed” and that “America has been largely taken away from them and their kind.”
4/
They therefore adopt extreme measures. They will stop at nothing to prevent what they see as an impending calamity.
Remember, Hofstadter published this in the early 1960s.
5/
(Both Lindsay Graham and Matt Gaetz said if the GOP loses this election, they'll never win again.)
GOP is a minority party. If they lose power, they lose the ability to manipulate systems to keep minority control.
1/
Does their life end if they lose an election? Is it worth a complete loss of integrity??
— KM (@Kyarmot) November 10, 2020
The fear is also explained by Richard Hofstader, who wrote the classic work⤵️
Hofstadter reviewed American politics from before the founding of the nation through McCarthyism. He noticed a pattern among an impassioned minority on the fringes of the political spectrum.
2/
He called their behavior the “paranoid style” in politics.
Those embracing the paranoid style of politics believe that unseen satanic forces are trying to destroy something larger in which they belong.
3/
According to Hofstadter, the “something larger” to which they belong is generally phrased as “the American way of life.”
They “feel dispossessed” and that “America has been largely taken away from them and their kind.”
4/
They therefore adopt extreme measures. They will stop at nothing to prevent what they see as an impending calamity.
Remember, Hofstadter published this in the early 1960s.
5/
More from Society
A long thread on how an obsessive & violent antisemite & Holocaust denier has been embraced by the international “community of the good.”
Sarah Wilkinson has a history of Holocaust denial & anti-Jewish hatred dating back (in documented examples) to around 2015.
She is a self-proclaimed British activist for “Palestinian rights” but is more accurately a far Left neo-Nazi. Her son shares the same characteristics of violence, racism & Holocaust denial.
I first documented Sarah Wilkinson’s Holocaust denial back in July 2016. I believe I was the 1st person to do so.
Since then she has produced a long trail of written hate and abuse. See here for a good summary.
Wilkinson has recently been publicly celebrated by @XRebellionUK over her latest violent action against a Jewish owned business. Despite many people calling XR’s attention to her history, XR have chosen to remain in alliance with this neo-Nazi.
Former Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP is among those who also chose to stand with Wilkinson via a tweet.
But McDonnell is not alone.
Neo-Nazi Sarah Wilkinson is supported and encouraged by thousands of those on the Left who consider themselves “anti-racists”.
Sarah Wilkinson has a history of Holocaust denial & anti-Jewish hatred dating back (in documented examples) to around 2015.
She is a self-proclaimed British activist for “Palestinian rights” but is more accurately a far Left neo-Nazi. Her son shares the same characteristics of violence, racism & Holocaust denial.
I first documented Sarah Wilkinson’s Holocaust denial back in July 2016. I believe I was the 1st person to do so.
Since then she has produced a long trail of written hate and abuse. See here for a good summary.
The internet is forever. https://t.co/zxBV7rjskB
— Heidi Bachram (@HeidiBachram) February 2, 2021
Wilkinson has recently been publicly celebrated by @XRebellionUK over her latest violent action against a Jewish owned business. Despite many people calling XR’s attention to her history, XR have chosen to remain in alliance with this neo-Nazi.
Former Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell MP is among those who also chose to stand with Wilkinson via a tweet.
But McDonnell is not alone.
Neo-Nazi Sarah Wilkinson is supported and encouraged by thousands of those on the Left who consider themselves “anti-racists”.
1/OK, data mystery time.
This New York Times feature shows China with a Gini Index of less than 30, which would make it more equal than Canada, France, or the Netherlands. https://t.co/g3Sv6DZTDE
That's weird. Income inequality in China is legendary.
Let's check this number.
2/The New York Times cites the World Bank's recent report, "Fair Progress? Economic Mobility across Generations Around the World".
The report is available here:
3/The World Bank report has a graph in which it appears to show the same value for China's Gini - under 0.3.
The graph cites the World Development Indicators as its source for the income inequality data.
4/The World Development Indicators are available at the World Bank's website.
Here's the Gini index: https://t.co/MvylQzpX6A
It looks as if the latest estimate for China's Gini is 42.2.
That estimate is from 2012.
5/A Gini of 42.2 would put China in the same neighborhood as the U.S., whose Gini was estimated at 41 in 2013.
I can't find the <30 number anywhere. The only other estimate in the tables for China is from 2008, when it was estimated at 42.8.
This New York Times feature shows China with a Gini Index of less than 30, which would make it more equal than Canada, France, or the Netherlands. https://t.co/g3Sv6DZTDE
That's weird. Income inequality in China is legendary.
Let's check this number.
2/The New York Times cites the World Bank's recent report, "Fair Progress? Economic Mobility across Generations Around the World".
The report is available here:
3/The World Bank report has a graph in which it appears to show the same value for China's Gini - under 0.3.
The graph cites the World Development Indicators as its source for the income inequality data.
4/The World Development Indicators are available at the World Bank's website.
Here's the Gini index: https://t.co/MvylQzpX6A
It looks as if the latest estimate for China's Gini is 42.2.
That estimate is from 2012.
5/A Gini of 42.2 would put China in the same neighborhood as the U.S., whose Gini was estimated at 41 in 2013.
I can't find the <30 number anywhere. The only other estimate in the tables for China is from 2008, when it was estimated at 42.8.
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#ஆதித்தியஹ்ருதயம் ஸ்தோத்திரம்
இது சூரிய குலத்தில் உதித்த இராமபிரானுக்கு தமிழ் முனிவர் அகத்தியர் உபதேசித்ததாக வால்மீகி இராமாயணத்தில் வருகிறது. ஆதித்ய ஹ்ருதயத்தைத் தினமும் ஓதினால் பெரும் பயன் பெறலாம் என மகான்களும் ஞானிகளும் காலம் காலமாகக் கூறி வருகின்றனர். ராம-ராவண யுத்தத்தை
தேவர்களுடன் சேர்ந்து பார்க்க வந்திருந்த அகத்தியர், அப்போது போரினால் களைத்து, கவலையுடன் காணப்பட்ட ராமபிரானை அணுகி, மனிதர்களிலேயே சிறந்தவனான ராமா போரில் எந்த மந்திரத்தைப் பாராயணம் செய்தால் எல்லா பகைவர்களையும் வெல்ல முடியுமோ அந்த ரகசிய மந்திரத்தை, வேதத்தில் சொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளதை உனக்கு
நான் உபதேசிக்கிறேன், கேள் என்று கூறி உபதேசித்தார். முதல் இரு சுலோகங்கள் சூழ்நிலையை விவரிக்கின்றன. மூன்றாவது சுலோகம் அகத்தியர் இராமபிரானை விளித்துக் கூறுவதாக அமைந்திருக்கிறது. நான்காவது சுலோகம் முதல் முப்பதாம் சுலோகம் வரை ஆதித்ய ஹ்ருதயம் என்னும் நூல். முப்பத்தி ஒன்றாம் சுலோகம்
இந்தத் துதியால் மகிழ்ந்த சூரியன் இராமனை வாழ்த்துவதைக் கூறுவதாக அமைந்திருக்கிறது.
ஐந்தாவது ஸ்லோகம்:
ஸர்வ மங்கள் மாங்கல்யம் ஸர்வ பாப ப்ரநாசனம்
சிந்தா சோக ப்ரசமனம் ஆயுர் வர்த்தனம் உத்தமம்
பொருள்: இந்த அதித்ய ஹ்ருதயம் என்ற துதி மங்களங்களில் சிறந்தது, பாவங்களையும் கவலைகளையும்
குழப்பங்களையும் நீக்குவது, வாழ்நாளை நீட்டிப்பது, மிகவும் சிறந்தது. இதயத்தில் வசிக்கும் பகவானுடைய அனுக்ரகத்தை அளிப்பதாகும்.
முழு ஸ்லோக லிங்க் பொருளுடன் இங்கே உள்ளது https://t.co/Q3qm1TfPmk
சூரியன் உலக இயக்கத்திற்கு மிக முக்கியமானவர். சூரிய சக்தியால்தான் ஜீவராசிகள், பயிர்கள்
இது சூரிய குலத்தில் உதித்த இராமபிரானுக்கு தமிழ் முனிவர் அகத்தியர் உபதேசித்ததாக வால்மீகி இராமாயணத்தில் வருகிறது. ஆதித்ய ஹ்ருதயத்தைத் தினமும் ஓதினால் பெரும் பயன் பெறலாம் என மகான்களும் ஞானிகளும் காலம் காலமாகக் கூறி வருகின்றனர். ராம-ராவண யுத்தத்தை
தேவர்களுடன் சேர்ந்து பார்க்க வந்திருந்த அகத்தியர், அப்போது போரினால் களைத்து, கவலையுடன் காணப்பட்ட ராமபிரானை அணுகி, மனிதர்களிலேயே சிறந்தவனான ராமா போரில் எந்த மந்திரத்தைப் பாராயணம் செய்தால் எல்லா பகைவர்களையும் வெல்ல முடியுமோ அந்த ரகசிய மந்திரத்தை, வேதத்தில் சொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளதை உனக்கு
நான் உபதேசிக்கிறேன், கேள் என்று கூறி உபதேசித்தார். முதல் இரு சுலோகங்கள் சூழ்நிலையை விவரிக்கின்றன. மூன்றாவது சுலோகம் அகத்தியர் இராமபிரானை விளித்துக் கூறுவதாக அமைந்திருக்கிறது. நான்காவது சுலோகம் முதல் முப்பதாம் சுலோகம் வரை ஆதித்ய ஹ்ருதயம் என்னும் நூல். முப்பத்தி ஒன்றாம் சுலோகம்
இந்தத் துதியால் மகிழ்ந்த சூரியன் இராமனை வாழ்த்துவதைக் கூறுவதாக அமைந்திருக்கிறது.
ஐந்தாவது ஸ்லோகம்:
ஸர்வ மங்கள் மாங்கல்யம் ஸர்வ பாப ப்ரநாசனம்
சிந்தா சோக ப்ரசமனம் ஆயுர் வர்த்தனம் உத்தமம்
பொருள்: இந்த அதித்ய ஹ்ருதயம் என்ற துதி மங்களங்களில் சிறந்தது, பாவங்களையும் கவலைகளையும்
குழப்பங்களையும் நீக்குவது, வாழ்நாளை நீட்டிப்பது, மிகவும் சிறந்தது. இதயத்தில் வசிக்கும் பகவானுடைய அனுக்ரகத்தை அளிப்பதாகும்.
முழு ஸ்லோக லிங்க் பொருளுடன் இங்கே உள்ளது https://t.co/Q3qm1TfPmk
சூரியன் உலக இயக்கத்திற்கு மிக முக்கியமானவர். சூரிய சக்தியால்தான் ஜீவராசிகள், பயிர்கள்
